What does Genesis 50:13 mean?
Jacob's sons had done for him exactly as he ordered (Genesis 50:7–12). On his deathbed, he had commanded his twelve sons to make sure he was buried in the tomb of his fathers (Genesis 49:29–32). He made Joseph, the governor of all Egypt (Genesis 41:44) and his now-most-authoritative son (Genesis 47:11–12), swear not to bury him in Egypt. Rather, he was to be laid to rest in the place where the family now stood (Genesis 47:29–31).This location was an historic place indeed. This cave and field at Machpelah are the same Abraham insisted on buying outright from the Hittites when the time came to bury his wife Sarah (Genesis 23:17–20). It was where Isaac and Ishmael had reunited to bury Abraham (Genesis 25:8–9). It was where Jacob and Esau had reunited to bury their father Isaac (Genesis 35:27–29). And now it becomes the place where all twelve of Jacob's sons stood together, united, to bury him.